Always in the Dog House !

yup, the teachers want them all to go home, now! if it was up to them the school would be empty.

Praiser,

Thank you for saying exactly what I feel. Forget the fact that I have all PK, KG, 1, 3, & 5 initial screenings done AND all PK, KG, and 5th rescreens done and referals mailed out. I didn't send your whiner home, so I obviouly don't know what I'm doing! GRRR...

Big hugs to all my school nurse friends!

s

Observation -- School systems are all about control. When you don't buy in to the power game, you lose. Stick with your decisions. You are the nurses, they are the teachers.

When they want to make nursing decisions, let them help you with the rescreens and mailing out referrals.

I have the most problems with the aides in my building. I think that some of them are truly bona fide hypochondriacs themselves. They call in sick and run to the doctor for everything, and think that parents that don't do the same with their children are neglectful. They think that I am wrong-headed in believing that a child should not have to stay home for 7-10 days for a cold anymore than an adult should. Allergies feel dreadful, but staying home in bed for the sniffles is rarely necessary. It would be nice, though, wouldn't it? I thought, though, that my job is to help to prepare kids for the real world, where employers don't like unreliable staff, etc. They also don't understand that because of many years of experience, and a fairly keen eyeball, I really CAN fairly quickly tell the difference between a child that is truly distressed from illness, or just plain tired from coughing all night, and that with every interaction I have with the child, I am gathering information. A nap, and back to class, I say!

Big hug Praiser!!! As long as their are school nurses and teachers working in the same building.....this conflict will continue to arise!!

I always try to turn things around and "show" them how doing vision/hearing screening, keeping kids in class as much as possible, etc. helps THEM (bottom line...test scores). For my teachers who frequently question my judgement, I will send a copy of a policy or a communicable disease chart or recommendation about exclusion from the Health Department back with the student before they have time to question me!!

ok need to vent..... had a kid come here today with s/a. i know immediately that she is full of it, no temp, no signs of distress except forced crying. back to class she goes........... so bout a 1/2 later, there she is again with her para. para proceeds to tell me how sick she is and that she " should have been sent home." so, what do i do? i sent her home. all the while i am thinking if she has such good assessment skills, what do they need me here for??????? i guess i am being cautious because the same thing happened the other day cept the girl went back to class and vomited.......... so i guess i am asking for opinions here........... should i have stood my ground and showed the para the "guidelines," or should do what i did....... just shut up and send them home to keep peace............. tell ya tho.......... she really made me ANGRY! there feel much better........

Some days I don't have the energy to fight the good fight, so end up sending them home too. Don't feel bad about it. Sooner or later you will be proven right and they will be eating crow.

Recently I had a student who injured his wrist at home, and I suspected a hairline fracture. Could not get ahold of mom, so sent him to class with an ice pack. Teacher sends back a scathing note asking WHY he needs an ice pack as it is VERY distracting and SHE can see NOTHING wrong with him! Sent note back that his wrist was clearly swollen and I suspected a fracture but could not get ahold of his parents yet. Teacher was not happy. Finally got ahold of mom and insisted that she take him to the doctor (she was mad at the child for complaining as SHE did not think anything was wrong and had told him not to go to the nurse). Convinced her to take him in...you guessed it...FRACTURE! Child is still in a cast. Have not heard one word from the teacher or mother but the student thanked me for making them listen.

thanks.